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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24291865">Sentimental</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/speedgriffon/pseuds/speedgriffon'>speedgriffon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My Hovercraft is Full of Eeels | Agent Charmer [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fallout 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort/Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Little bit of humor, References to Shakespeare, Religious Imagery &amp; Symbolism</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:08:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24291865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/speedgriffon/pseuds/speedgriffon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On the eve of Madelyn's inaugural trip to the Institute, Deacon has concerns- though, he's not too forthcoming about sharing them with her. </p>
<p>A classic “Mads and Deeks in a church” with a sprinkling of Shakespeare, religious overtons, angst, and comfort.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Deacon/Female Sole Survivor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My Hovercraft is Full of Eeels | Agent Charmer [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sentimental</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: “The thought of losing you scares me.”<br/>(I put this as a stand alone instead of in the collection because I like it so much).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a certain kind of peaceful calm that settled over the Old North Church after sunset that Madelyn appreciated. While elsewhere in the Commonwealth, nighttime usually signified the appearance of raiders and radioactive wildlife, but in that little haven of North End, all was quiet. The conditions didn’t do anything to help her fall asleep at a reasonable time, however—not that she ever did.</p>
<p>Her Pip-Boy rang out in a soft chime that signaled it was midnight, prompting her to stop her patrol around the building and head back inside. Regardless of how she felt, she needed to force herself to rest. In the morning, the Railroad would be putting Tinker Tom’s engineering to the test when they used the courser chip and transporter he built to send her (hopefully) into the Institute. Madelyn was still trying to wrap her head around the possibility that in a handful of hours, she could be face-to-face with her son. She’d also come to terms with the reality that the Institute could just as well kill her on sight, or worse, replace her with a synthetic lookalike. Instead of dwelling on the fears, she put on a brave face and focused on the assignment—the Railroad were counting on her success. </p>
<p>“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?”</p>
<p>She tilted her head up to find Deacon in the upper pews—a favored spot of theirs—leaning over the edge to look down at her. Madelyn smiled, pausing in her path towards the stairway that led towards the catacombs.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t <em>I</em> be on the balcony?” she asked, softly laughing at his shrug.</p>
<p>“Same sentiment.”</p>
<p>Madelyn didn’t have nearly as much Shakespeare memorized as he did, but decided she was better off climbing the stairs to join him than butcher a soliloquy on the ground floor of the church. Deacon watched her movements the entire time, even as she sat down on the wooden bench beside him.</p>
<p>“It is my lady,” he continued the joke.</p>
<p>Having spent the better portion of the last several months as his side, she’d become perceptive to his deflections—he was hiding something. Then again, when wasn’t he? Even after breaking past his defenses as their romance blossomed, there were secrets to keep, lies to be told. Madelyn never took it personally, knowing that beyond the façade, they were both incredibly fragile and emotional individuals who needed time. Rather than interrogate him, she found comfort in the amiable silence that blanketed them, resting her head against his shoulder as he grasped her hand to lace their fingers. It didn’t matter to her how long they sat there, watching his thumb brush over her knuckles, but as the minutes dragged on she couldn’t help herself from asking.</p>
<p>“What are you thinking about?”</p>
<p>Deacon sighed, breath tickling across her temple as he nuzzled the top of her head with his nose. “You don’t want to know.”</p>
<p>There wasn’t a trace of humor or lewd suggestion to his words, which concerned her. She tilted her head back just enough to confirm his lips were in a taught line, not quite a pout, brows furrowed. Even though they were alone, he hadn’t removed his shades and she had the overwhelming desire to see the stormy blue color of his eyes. But maybe he had left them covered for a good reason.</p>
<p>Madelyn frowned. “What is it?”</p>
<p>“The thought of losing you scares me.”</p>
<p>Finally, a truth. Hard to admit, she was sure, but she’d heard confessions from him before that held significant emotional weight. It wasn’t until she realized the context how poignant <em>this</em> one was. The Institute—her assignment. Up until now, they had run Railroad missions together. Even when she became sidetracked (as he put it), assisting the Minutemen, he was there as her constant companion, partner and friend. Except now, their dynamic had shifted. Now, there were strings attached. More than stolen kisses in rainy Goodneighbor alleys, she had told him she loved him. In a few hours she would be cutting those strings and leaving him behind, traveling into the unknown. Was it any wonder he felt this way?</p>
<p>There weren’t any words Madelyn could speak to comfort him. She wasn’t about to offer up hollow promises guaranteeing her safety, but those would only lead to disappointment if she never returned. Another lesson on old-world Catholicism came to mind—she’d given him plenty since they met, and she would give him another tonight.</p>
<p>“Votive candle,” she said quietly, watching as his expression turned curious. With her free hand, she gestured to the first floor. “They were set up in the church for people to light in prayer for themselves or others.”</p>
<p>Deacon nodded but remained silent. Madelyn raised her gaze to his shielded eyes. “I know we aren’t the praying type, but maybe you can leave one burning for me, while I’m away.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” he answered in a breath. “I’ll do that.”</p>
<p>With nothing left to say, she rested her hand on his cheek, tilting her chin up just enough so she could kiss him. There was desperation behind the soft, chaste contact and yet neither made to increase the pressure for several passing seconds. Deacon shifted first, warm hand angling her head to allow him better access as he dipped his tongue past her lips. They remained slow and measured, but she could feel a thousand pleas being whispered to her as they kissed, his fingers grasping tightly as they threaded through her golden waves.</p>
<p>Slowly they broke away, resting their heads together and she inched closer to brush her nose against his, silently reminding him in her own way of how she felt. She wasn’t about to tarnish the moment with words, regardless of how heartfelt they were. Her Pip-Boy alerted them to the passing hour, and she knew she couldn’t stay there with him forever.</p>
<p>Madelyn wished they had more time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>say hello over on tumblr @ eeveevie</p>
<p>kudos and comments are always appreciated :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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